"It's better to light a candle than curse the darkness."
- Eleanor Roosevelt, First Lady
"It's better to hang out with people better than you. Pick out associates whose behavior is better than yours, and you'll drift in that direction."
- Warren Buffet, Berkshire Hathaway, CEO
"We must have perseverance and above all confidence in ourselves. We must believe that we are gifted for something and that this thing must be attained."
- Marie Curie, physicist
"The highest form of success... comes... to the man who does not shrink from danger, from hardship or from bitter toil, and who out of these wins the splendid ultimate triumph."
- Theodore Roosevelt, 26th U.S. president
"Determine that the thing can and shall be done, and then we shall find the way."
- Abraham Lincoln, 16th U.S. president
"Strategic advantage lies in the leverage of knowledge."
- Robert Buckman, leadership coach
"Nothing great will ever be achieved without great men, and men are great only if they are determined to be so."
- Charles deGaulle, statesman
"Never give up, for that is just the place and time that the tide will turn."
- Harriet Beecher Stowe, Writer
"We don't stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing."
- George Bernard Shaw, Writer
"Pressure is a word that is misused in our vocabulary. When you start thinking of pressure, it's because you've started to think of failure."
- Tommy Lasorda, baseball manager
"Happiness is mostly a byproduct of doing what makes us feel fulfilled."
- Benjamin Spock, Pediatrician
"We are made to persist. That's how we find out who we are."
- Tobias Wolff, Writer
The greatest conflicts are not between two people, but between one person and himself."
- Garth Brooks, singer
"The most powerful element in advertising is the truth."
- William Bernbach, ad executive
"Find something you're passionate about and keep tremendously interested in it."
- Julia Child, chef
"I learn something new about the game almost every time I step on the course."
- Ben Hogan, golfer
"If you want the rainbow, you've got to put up with the rain."
- Dolly Parton, Singer
Friday, October 30, 2009
Monday, October 26, 2009
Endorphins: Nature's Wonder Drugs for Total Success
By Brian Tracy
Every time you complete a task of any kind, your brain releases a small quantity of endorphins. This natural morphine gives you a sense of well-being and elation. It makes you feel happy and peaceful. It stimulates your creativity and improves your personality. It is nature's "wonder drug."
Create the Winning Feeling
Everyone wants to feel like a winner. And feeling like a winner requires that you win. You get a feeling of being a winner by completing a task 100 percent. When you do this repeatedly, eventually you develop the habit of completing the tasks that you begin. When this habit of task completion locks in, your life will begin to improve in ways that you cannot today imagine.
The Pain of Procrastination
If you have ever had a major assignment that you have put off, you know what I am referring to. The longer you wait to get started on an assignment and the closer the deadline approaches, the greater stress you experience. It can start to keep you up at night until you finally launch into the task and push it through to completion; you feel a great sense of relief and well-being. It is almost as if nature rewards you for everything that you do that is positive and life enhancing. At the same time, nature penalizes you with stress and dissatisfaction when you fail to do the tasks that move you toward the goals and results that are important to you.
"Unlock your potential and become everything you are capable of becoming, right now!"
When you learn how to Unlock Your Potential, you will be able to visualize your future goals and turn them into reality, simplify your life and overall feel fantastic about yourself and every area of your life.
Learn more here >>
The Balanced Scoreboard
One of the most popular movements in modern management is toward a "balanced scorecard." Using these scorecards, every person, at every level of the business is encouraged to identify the key measures that indicate success and then give themselves scores every day and every week in each of those key areas. Here is an important point. The very act of identifying a number or score and then paying close attention to it will cause you to improve your performance in that area.
Close the Loop
The third C, after commitment and completion, is "closure." This is the difference between an "open loop" and a "closed loop." Bringing closure to an issue in your personal or business life is absolutely essential for you to feel happy and in control of your situation. Lack of closure—unfinished business, an incomplete action of any kind—is a major source of stress, dissatisfaction, and even failure in business. It consumes enormous amounts of physical and emotional energy.
The Key Ability
Perhaps the most important ability in the world of work is "dependability." Nothing will get you paid more and promoted faster than to develop a reputation for getting your tasks done quickly, done well, and on schedule. Whatever your goals, make a list of all the tasks you will have to accomplish in the achievement of those goals. Put a deadline on every one of those tasks.
Action Exercise
Determine a single measure that you can use to grade your progress and success in each area of your life. Refer to it daily.
Courtesy: Brian Tracy newsletter
Every time you complete a task of any kind, your brain releases a small quantity of endorphins. This natural morphine gives you a sense of well-being and elation. It makes you feel happy and peaceful. It stimulates your creativity and improves your personality. It is nature's "wonder drug."
Create the Winning Feeling
Everyone wants to feel like a winner. And feeling like a winner requires that you win. You get a feeling of being a winner by completing a task 100 percent. When you do this repeatedly, eventually you develop the habit of completing the tasks that you begin. When this habit of task completion locks in, your life will begin to improve in ways that you cannot today imagine.
The Pain of Procrastination
If you have ever had a major assignment that you have put off, you know what I am referring to. The longer you wait to get started on an assignment and the closer the deadline approaches, the greater stress you experience. It can start to keep you up at night until you finally launch into the task and push it through to completion; you feel a great sense of relief and well-being. It is almost as if nature rewards you for everything that you do that is positive and life enhancing. At the same time, nature penalizes you with stress and dissatisfaction when you fail to do the tasks that move you toward the goals and results that are important to you.
"Unlock your potential and become everything you are capable of becoming, right now!"
When you learn how to Unlock Your Potential, you will be able to visualize your future goals and turn them into reality, simplify your life and overall feel fantastic about yourself and every area of your life.
Learn more here >>
The Balanced Scoreboard
One of the most popular movements in modern management is toward a "balanced scorecard." Using these scorecards, every person, at every level of the business is encouraged to identify the key measures that indicate success and then give themselves scores every day and every week in each of those key areas. Here is an important point. The very act of identifying a number or score and then paying close attention to it will cause you to improve your performance in that area.
Close the Loop
The third C, after commitment and completion, is "closure." This is the difference between an "open loop" and a "closed loop." Bringing closure to an issue in your personal or business life is absolutely essential for you to feel happy and in control of your situation. Lack of closure—unfinished business, an incomplete action of any kind—is a major source of stress, dissatisfaction, and even failure in business. It consumes enormous amounts of physical and emotional energy.
The Key Ability
Perhaps the most important ability in the world of work is "dependability." Nothing will get you paid more and promoted faster than to develop a reputation for getting your tasks done quickly, done well, and on schedule. Whatever your goals, make a list of all the tasks you will have to accomplish in the achievement of those goals. Put a deadline on every one of those tasks.
Action Exercise
Determine a single measure that you can use to grade your progress and success in each area of your life. Refer to it daily.
Courtesy: Brian Tracy newsletter
Friday, October 23, 2009
Counterattack!
By Brian Tracy
October 23, 2009
"A bold, vigorous assault has won many a faltering cause."
- Ira Eaker, General
When you-know-what hits the fan and the survival of your business is endangered, you must begin thinking like a military commander in battle. Often the situation is so serious that you have to step forward and make hard decisions, and make them immediately. No more Mr. Nice Guy.
Military Strategy
Top military leaders have been studied going back to 600 B.C. Over the centuries, several principles of military strategy that lead to the victory of defeat have been identified. They are now taught to student officers in every military school in the world. By applying these principles of military strategy to your life and your business, you can often turn the situation around and achieve extraordinary results.
Be Clear in Your Objective
The first principle of military strategy is the Principle of the Objective. It requires that you be perfectly clear about the goal (or goals) that you want and need to get through a crunch point. In business, the practice of this principle is usually focused on goals related to sales, revenues, and cash flow. You need plans, schedules, and the right people doing the right jobs to achieve your most important objectives. Everyone should be absolutely clear about what they are expected to do, and they must be committed to success, to victory, no matter how serious the crisis.
"Out-Think, Out-Market and Out-Sell the Competition"
Clear planning and goal setting are essential to seeing your business succeed.
Turbostrategy will help you revitalize your business and personal life and help you achieve the results you're looking for to make your business dreams become reality!
Take Bold Action
The second strategic principle is the Principle of the Offensive. It requires that you take action—that you move forward boldly to confront your difficulties and solve your problems. As Napoleon said, “No great battles are ever won on the defensive.” Since your natural tendency when you hit crunch time is to withdraw, cut back, and play it safe, you must resist this urge and instead dare to go forward, to seize control of the situation, and to attack your difficulties with firmness and decisiveness.
Crunch Point Mantra
Whenever one of my companies has experienced a cash crunch, my mantra is, “When in doubt, sell your way out.” You cannot cost-cut your way out of a financial crisis. You have to generate revenues, and the only way to do that is by selling something to someone. Always think in terms of generating revenues from sales. Become very aggressive and focused in this area. Every single company that has rebounded from a crisis, including companies like IBM in 1991, turned itself around by focusing single-mindedly on generating sales revenues. You should do the same.
Action Exercise
Discipline yourself to focus single-mindedly on this number-one target, resisting temptations to clear up small things at first.
"21 Secrets Guaranteed to Empower You When You Need It The Most"
Whatever you do in life...unexpected stuff is guaranteed to happen. Will you be ready? Setbacks in your life and your business are unavoidable.
What happens next will determine whether you fail or succeed in meeting your challenge.
(Another pragmatic lesson from BRIAN TRACY's Newsletter.)
October 23, 2009
"A bold, vigorous assault has won many a faltering cause."
- Ira Eaker, General
When you-know-what hits the fan and the survival of your business is endangered, you must begin thinking like a military commander in battle. Often the situation is so serious that you have to step forward and make hard decisions, and make them immediately. No more Mr. Nice Guy.
Military Strategy
Top military leaders have been studied going back to 600 B.C. Over the centuries, several principles of military strategy that lead to the victory of defeat have been identified. They are now taught to student officers in every military school in the world. By applying these principles of military strategy to your life and your business, you can often turn the situation around and achieve extraordinary results.
Be Clear in Your Objective
The first principle of military strategy is the Principle of the Objective. It requires that you be perfectly clear about the goal (or goals) that you want and need to get through a crunch point. In business, the practice of this principle is usually focused on goals related to sales, revenues, and cash flow. You need plans, schedules, and the right people doing the right jobs to achieve your most important objectives. Everyone should be absolutely clear about what they are expected to do, and they must be committed to success, to victory, no matter how serious the crisis.
"Out-Think, Out-Market and Out-Sell the Competition"
Clear planning and goal setting are essential to seeing your business succeed.
Turbostrategy will help you revitalize your business and personal life and help you achieve the results you're looking for to make your business dreams become reality!
Take Bold Action
The second strategic principle is the Principle of the Offensive. It requires that you take action—that you move forward boldly to confront your difficulties and solve your problems. As Napoleon said, “No great battles are ever won on the defensive.” Since your natural tendency when you hit crunch time is to withdraw, cut back, and play it safe, you must resist this urge and instead dare to go forward, to seize control of the situation, and to attack your difficulties with firmness and decisiveness.
Crunch Point Mantra
Whenever one of my companies has experienced a cash crunch, my mantra is, “When in doubt, sell your way out.” You cannot cost-cut your way out of a financial crisis. You have to generate revenues, and the only way to do that is by selling something to someone. Always think in terms of generating revenues from sales. Become very aggressive and focused in this area. Every single company that has rebounded from a crisis, including companies like IBM in 1991, turned itself around by focusing single-mindedly on generating sales revenues. You should do the same.
Action Exercise
Discipline yourself to focus single-mindedly on this number-one target, resisting temptations to clear up small things at first.
"21 Secrets Guaranteed to Empower You When You Need It The Most"
Whatever you do in life...unexpected stuff is guaranteed to happen. Will you be ready? Setbacks in your life and your business are unavoidable.
What happens next will determine whether you fail or succeed in meeting your challenge.
(Another pragmatic lesson from BRIAN TRACY's Newsletter.)
Monday, October 19, 2009
The conclusion (the end?) of STDs
STD 10
I've started seeing this guy I'm crazy about and, yes, we're having sex. Or we were. Now I've got these horrible symptoms. I'm having a lot of greenish yellow, frothy discharge from my vagina. I'm sore all around my vaginal area and upper thighs. My boyfriend is just fine. Is it just me or what?
Answer:
Men usually don't get symptoms of trichomoniasis infection. But if they look early in the morning, infected men may see a slight discharge from the penis. Sometimes, women get only a slight discharge.
The bug that causes trichomoniasis is a protozoon. See a doctor -- both of you. A single treatment almost always does the trick, if both partners are treated at the same time. If you have more than one sex partner, all of your partners must be examined and treated.
STD 11
OK, I had an affair. But I broke it off after just a couple of times. I feel terrible about it. I'll never do it again. Since my wife doesn't know about it, I don't want to hurt her feelings for no reason. Only problem is, about three weeks later I got this sore. Just one of them. It was on my penis, but it didn't hurt at all. I made excuses not to have sex with my wife, and it healed after about a month. I thought it was all over. But now I'm getting these rashes on my palms and soles. Any connection?
Answer:
Syphilis used to be a terrible thing. It still is -- if not treated. The sore on your penis is called a chancre. It's the sign of primary syphilis. Secondary syphilis comes next. The symptoms begin with a rash, usually starting on the palms and soles. These rashes come and go, but cover various places on the body. Mucous membranes may erode in the mouth, penis, vulva, or anus. Hair falls out in patches, leaving a moth-eaten look. And that's still not the worst of it. Untreated syphilis eventually damages the heart and brain. In fact, if you've already got secondary syphilis the germs that cause the disease may already have invaded your brain.
Fortunately, antibiotics cure the disease. You'll have to see a doctor to get diagnosed and treated. And you'll have to tell your wife. If you've had sex with her, she may be infected.
STD 12
I've got a lot of boyfriends. Sure, they get jealous that I sleep with other guys, but I'm not ready to commit to just one person -- or even just one person at a time. Lately, though, I don't feel like seeing anybody. I'm tired all the time and feel like I'm coming down with something. Usually you don't have to call me twice for dinner. Now my appetite is gone, and I feel sick to my stomach. My belly hurts and my urine has kind of a dark color. What's wrong with me?
Answer:
Only half of people who get hepatitis B infection have symptoms. On the other hand, there may other symptoms besides the ones you mention. Some people get rashes or joint pain in the early stages of infection. Some get jaundice, a yellowing of the skin and the whites of the eyes. About one in 100 people get sudden liver failure and may suddenly collapse with fatigue. Symptoms may first appear six weeks to six months after infection.
Having multiple sex partners is a major risk factor for hepatitis B infection. Also at risk are men who have sex with men, injection drug users and their sex partners, and household contacts of people with chronic infection.
The good news is that the vast majority of adults who become infected with hepatitis B will clear the infection on their own. But 2% to 6% of infected adults get chronic, lifelong infection. That's why it's important to see a doctor if you're at risk for hepatitis B infection.
The bad news is there is no specific treatment. Antiviral medications can keep the virus at bay and may even put hepatitis B liver disease into remission.
Fortunately, there is a vaccine. It's now routine for infants; since 1996 more than 80% of U.S. infants have been getting the vaccine. If your sexual behavior puts you at risk of hepatitis B infection, you should get vaccinated.
-----
NOTE: This entire informative article on "STDs": courtesy of WebMD.com newsletters.
I've started seeing this guy I'm crazy about and, yes, we're having sex. Or we were. Now I've got these horrible symptoms. I'm having a lot of greenish yellow, frothy discharge from my vagina. I'm sore all around my vaginal area and upper thighs. My boyfriend is just fine. Is it just me or what?
Answer:
Men usually don't get symptoms of trichomoniasis infection. But if they look early in the morning, infected men may see a slight discharge from the penis. Sometimes, women get only a slight discharge.
The bug that causes trichomoniasis is a protozoon. See a doctor -- both of you. A single treatment almost always does the trick, if both partners are treated at the same time. If you have more than one sex partner, all of your partners must be examined and treated.
STD 11
OK, I had an affair. But I broke it off after just a couple of times. I feel terrible about it. I'll never do it again. Since my wife doesn't know about it, I don't want to hurt her feelings for no reason. Only problem is, about three weeks later I got this sore. Just one of them. It was on my penis, but it didn't hurt at all. I made excuses not to have sex with my wife, and it healed after about a month. I thought it was all over. But now I'm getting these rashes on my palms and soles. Any connection?
Answer:
Syphilis used to be a terrible thing. It still is -- if not treated. The sore on your penis is called a chancre. It's the sign of primary syphilis. Secondary syphilis comes next. The symptoms begin with a rash, usually starting on the palms and soles. These rashes come and go, but cover various places on the body. Mucous membranes may erode in the mouth, penis, vulva, or anus. Hair falls out in patches, leaving a moth-eaten look. And that's still not the worst of it. Untreated syphilis eventually damages the heart and brain. In fact, if you've already got secondary syphilis the germs that cause the disease may already have invaded your brain.
Fortunately, antibiotics cure the disease. You'll have to see a doctor to get diagnosed and treated. And you'll have to tell your wife. If you've had sex with her, she may be infected.
STD 12
I've got a lot of boyfriends. Sure, they get jealous that I sleep with other guys, but I'm not ready to commit to just one person -- or even just one person at a time. Lately, though, I don't feel like seeing anybody. I'm tired all the time and feel like I'm coming down with something. Usually you don't have to call me twice for dinner. Now my appetite is gone, and I feel sick to my stomach. My belly hurts and my urine has kind of a dark color. What's wrong with me?
Answer:
Only half of people who get hepatitis B infection have symptoms. On the other hand, there may other symptoms besides the ones you mention. Some people get rashes or joint pain in the early stages of infection. Some get jaundice, a yellowing of the skin and the whites of the eyes. About one in 100 people get sudden liver failure and may suddenly collapse with fatigue. Symptoms may first appear six weeks to six months after infection.
Having multiple sex partners is a major risk factor for hepatitis B infection. Also at risk are men who have sex with men, injection drug users and their sex partners, and household contacts of people with chronic infection.
The good news is that the vast majority of adults who become infected with hepatitis B will clear the infection on their own. But 2% to 6% of infected adults get chronic, lifelong infection. That's why it's important to see a doctor if you're at risk for hepatitis B infection.
The bad news is there is no specific treatment. Antiviral medications can keep the virus at bay and may even put hepatitis B liver disease into remission.
Fortunately, there is a vaccine. It's now routine for infants; since 1996 more than 80% of U.S. infants have been getting the vaccine. If your sexual behavior puts you at risk of hepatitis B infection, you should get vaccinated.
-----
NOTE: This entire informative article on "STDs": courtesy of WebMD.com newsletters.
Sunday, October 18, 2009
More STDs (Continued)
STD 7
I moped around for more than a month after breaking up with my girlfriend. Just when I started feeling like seeing other women again, I noticed this cluster of moist little sacs of flesh near my vagina. Since then it got a bit bigger and turned whitish. It looks like a little cauliflower! I'm very embarrassed. How can I ever have sex with anybody ever again?
Answer:
The virus that causes genital warts spreads by direct skin-to-skin contact. It's called human papillomavirus, or HPV. There are several different kinds of HPV. Some kinds are linked to cervical cancer, although these HPV strains are less likely to cause warts.
Genital warts appear one to six months after HPV infection. There's no cure, but there are treatments. These treatments must be performed or prescribed by a doctor. DO NOT use over-the-counter wart remedies on genital warts. While treatment can make warts go away, they often come back.
It's common to be upset by genital warts. You should avoid sex until all warts are removed. Condoms can prevent HPV spread, but since they do not cover all of the skin that might be affected, they are not totally effective. Having genital warts does not mean your sex life is over.
Although there is no treatment for HPV infection, most people eventually clear the virus on their own -- usually within two years. If you have HPV infection, it's especially important to see your doctor for regular Pap tests to look for cell changes on your cervix that could develop into cancer.
There is an HPV vaccine for women. It will not cure HPV infection or speed clearance of the virus. But it will protect against the strains of the virus that most often cause cancer. The vaccine does the most good before a person becomes sexually active. That's why it's recommended for girls aged 11 to 12 -- and why it can be given as early as age 9.
STD 8
My girlfriend has a few little red bumps around her vulva, but they don't bother her and they didn't stop us from having sex. We use condoms -- but a few weeks back, a few of the same kind of bumps popped up on my groin. Now it's spread to my thighs. The area is a little tender, but it doesn't bother me all that much. I keep waiting for it to go away. Will it?
Answer:
Molluscum contagiosum, once a disease of childhood, is now sexually transmitted among adults. It's caused by a poxvirus called MCV. It can be spread through sexual contact, or by contact with other objects, such as towels, used by an infected person.
The bumps are small, waxy, and round -- often with a little depression in the middle. Each lesion lasts for about six to eight weeks. But since it spreads, it can take two years or more to go away by itself. Your doctor can speed recovery either by surgical or chemical removal of the lesions.
STD 9
We didn't have sex, I swear! OK, my boyfriend and I did sleep together in his bed -- with our clothes off. We spooned a lot, but we didn't go past second base. And that was over a month ago. Now I'm back at school but I've got this itch on my waist, my groin and the lower part of my butt. It's MUCH worse at night when I go to bed. There are some short, wavy lines on the skin, but the worst are these dozens of itchy bumps. There's no way this is an STD, is there?
Answer:
Sex isn't the only way to get scabies. In fact, this skin-mite infection is hard to get from a brief sexual encounter. But prolonged skin contact does spread infection. If it took a month for symptoms to appear, this must be the first time you've had scabies. People who get it more than once get symptoms in only one to four days.
The mites that cause scabies burrow just under the surface of the skin. Females lay eggs that hatch in a few days. The itching is caused by an allergic reaction. You can't get scabies from a brief contact, such as a handshake, but it spreads in households after prolonged contact with infested bedding, carpets, or furniture.
Your doctor can prescribe treatments that will kill the mites. Even after they're dead, you'll still itch for a while. Doctors usually prescribe corticosteroid ointments to relieve this itching. And don't forget that killing the mites means getting rid of mites hiding in your bed, clothing, etc.
(More to come...)
I moped around for more than a month after breaking up with my girlfriend. Just when I started feeling like seeing other women again, I noticed this cluster of moist little sacs of flesh near my vagina. Since then it got a bit bigger and turned whitish. It looks like a little cauliflower! I'm very embarrassed. How can I ever have sex with anybody ever again?
Answer:
The virus that causes genital warts spreads by direct skin-to-skin contact. It's called human papillomavirus, or HPV. There are several different kinds of HPV. Some kinds are linked to cervical cancer, although these HPV strains are less likely to cause warts.
Genital warts appear one to six months after HPV infection. There's no cure, but there are treatments. These treatments must be performed or prescribed by a doctor. DO NOT use over-the-counter wart remedies on genital warts. While treatment can make warts go away, they often come back.
It's common to be upset by genital warts. You should avoid sex until all warts are removed. Condoms can prevent HPV spread, but since they do not cover all of the skin that might be affected, they are not totally effective. Having genital warts does not mean your sex life is over.
Although there is no treatment for HPV infection, most people eventually clear the virus on their own -- usually within two years. If you have HPV infection, it's especially important to see your doctor for regular Pap tests to look for cell changes on your cervix that could develop into cancer.
There is an HPV vaccine for women. It will not cure HPV infection or speed clearance of the virus. But it will protect against the strains of the virus that most often cause cancer. The vaccine does the most good before a person becomes sexually active. That's why it's recommended for girls aged 11 to 12 -- and why it can be given as early as age 9.
STD 8
My girlfriend has a few little red bumps around her vulva, but they don't bother her and they didn't stop us from having sex. We use condoms -- but a few weeks back, a few of the same kind of bumps popped up on my groin. Now it's spread to my thighs. The area is a little tender, but it doesn't bother me all that much. I keep waiting for it to go away. Will it?
Answer:
Molluscum contagiosum, once a disease of childhood, is now sexually transmitted among adults. It's caused by a poxvirus called MCV. It can be spread through sexual contact, or by contact with other objects, such as towels, used by an infected person.
The bumps are small, waxy, and round -- often with a little depression in the middle. Each lesion lasts for about six to eight weeks. But since it spreads, it can take two years or more to go away by itself. Your doctor can speed recovery either by surgical or chemical removal of the lesions.
STD 9
We didn't have sex, I swear! OK, my boyfriend and I did sleep together in his bed -- with our clothes off. We spooned a lot, but we didn't go past second base. And that was over a month ago. Now I'm back at school but I've got this itch on my waist, my groin and the lower part of my butt. It's MUCH worse at night when I go to bed. There are some short, wavy lines on the skin, but the worst are these dozens of itchy bumps. There's no way this is an STD, is there?
Answer:
Sex isn't the only way to get scabies. In fact, this skin-mite infection is hard to get from a brief sexual encounter. But prolonged skin contact does spread infection. If it took a month for symptoms to appear, this must be the first time you've had scabies. People who get it more than once get symptoms in only one to four days.
The mites that cause scabies burrow just under the surface of the skin. Females lay eggs that hatch in a few days. The itching is caused by an allergic reaction. You can't get scabies from a brief contact, such as a handshake, but it spreads in households after prolonged contact with infested bedding, carpets, or furniture.
Your doctor can prescribe treatments that will kill the mites. Even after they're dead, you'll still itch for a while. Doctors usually prescribe corticosteroid ointments to relieve this itching. And don't forget that killing the mites means getting rid of mites hiding in your bed, clothing, etc.
(More to come...)
Saturday, October 17, 2009
STD (continued)
STD 3
It can't be an STD -- can it? I still think of myself as technically a virgin. I did have sex -- but my lover only put his penis a little way into my vagina. And he doesn't have any symptoms. Maybe this burning feeling when I urinate will just go away. Won't it?
Answer:
Many sexually transmitted diseases can cause this symptom. The most common one is chlamydia [pronounced klah-MID-ee-ya]. Any genital, anal, or, less often, oral contact with infected body fluids can result in infection. In a way, you're lucky. Three-fourths of women -- and half of men -- don't have early symptoms of chlamydia. Left untreated, this bacterial infection can spread to the fallopian tubes. This can leave you unable to have children. There are tests. And there is a cure. If you're sexually active -- even if you don't go "all the way" -- you can still get STDs.
STD 4
Yuck. It's been about a week since I had sex. Boy, does my crotch itch. When I look down there, I've got a blue spot on the skin under my pubic hair. And there are lots of these teensy rust-colored dots. What gives?
Answer:
Those little rust-colored dots -- sometimes they're whitish-gray -- are lice. If you take a closer look with a magnifying glass, you'll see they look like little crabs. You can get crabs during sex. You can also get them by sleeping in the bed of an infested person. The little bugs have three forms: eggs, a larval stage called nits, and adult lice -- the ones that make you itch. The blue spots are a skin reaction to louse bites. Once you've identified crabs, you can get rid of them. But you'll have to get rid of all the eggs and nits that may have spread to your clothes, bed linens, and other items. After you kill off the lice, you'll continue to itch for a while. Hydrocortisone cream can help.
STD 5
I had anal sex with another guy. I put on a condom before sex, of course, but it broke. It's been a few days since then, and now I've got this yellow drip from the tip of my penis. Otherwise, I feel fine. Won't it just go away?
Answer:
There are several infections that can cause these symptoms. One of them is gonorrhea, known to many as "the clap." Many people with gonorrhea have no symptoms. Untreated, it can lead to serious infections. Anyone who finds out he or she has an STD should tell all of his or her sexual contacts so they can be tested and, if infected, treated. Antibiotic treatment cures gonorrhea. See a doctor.
STD 6
A few months ago, during foreplay, my husband noticed a cluster of blisters on the inner lip of my vagina. It turned into a sore that hurt for about a week and then crusted over and went away. Now it's months later, and I have a nasty blister on my butt. My husband doesn't get any blisters on his genitals, although once in a while he gets a cold sore on his mouth. I don't think it's an STD, do you?
Answer:
Herpes is a viral infection. It comes in two types. Herpes type 1 usually causes mouth sores; herpes type 2 usually causes genital sores. However, either virus can infect either place. Herpes can spread during sex, including oral sex. The virus that causes herpes travels up nerves and rests in nerve bundles. When it becomes active, it goes back down the nerves to the skin. The genitals connect to the same nerve bundle as the buttocks. Sometimes a person who has had a genital infection has a later outbreak on the buttocks or thighs.
Herpes outbreaks don't always look like blisters. Sometimes they look like sores, cuts, pimples, or a rash. Genital herpes outbreaks cause pain, aching, itching, burning, and/or tingling on and around the sex organs. Sometimes there can be painful urination and a discharge from the urethra, but this is uncommon.
There's no cure for herpes. But today there are anti-herpes drugs that make outbreaks less severe. They also can prevent new outbreaks and may even make it harder to give herpes to another person.
(To be continued)
It can't be an STD -- can it? I still think of myself as technically a virgin. I did have sex -- but my lover only put his penis a little way into my vagina. And he doesn't have any symptoms. Maybe this burning feeling when I urinate will just go away. Won't it?
Answer:
Many sexually transmitted diseases can cause this symptom. The most common one is chlamydia [pronounced klah-MID-ee-ya]. Any genital, anal, or, less often, oral contact with infected body fluids can result in infection. In a way, you're lucky. Three-fourths of women -- and half of men -- don't have early symptoms of chlamydia. Left untreated, this bacterial infection can spread to the fallopian tubes. This can leave you unable to have children. There are tests. And there is a cure. If you're sexually active -- even if you don't go "all the way" -- you can still get STDs.
STD 4
Yuck. It's been about a week since I had sex. Boy, does my crotch itch. When I look down there, I've got a blue spot on the skin under my pubic hair. And there are lots of these teensy rust-colored dots. What gives?
Answer:
Those little rust-colored dots -- sometimes they're whitish-gray -- are lice. If you take a closer look with a magnifying glass, you'll see they look like little crabs. You can get crabs during sex. You can also get them by sleeping in the bed of an infested person. The little bugs have three forms: eggs, a larval stage called nits, and adult lice -- the ones that make you itch. The blue spots are a skin reaction to louse bites. Once you've identified crabs, you can get rid of them. But you'll have to get rid of all the eggs and nits that may have spread to your clothes, bed linens, and other items. After you kill off the lice, you'll continue to itch for a while. Hydrocortisone cream can help.
STD 5
I had anal sex with another guy. I put on a condom before sex, of course, but it broke. It's been a few days since then, and now I've got this yellow drip from the tip of my penis. Otherwise, I feel fine. Won't it just go away?
Answer:
There are several infections that can cause these symptoms. One of them is gonorrhea, known to many as "the clap." Many people with gonorrhea have no symptoms. Untreated, it can lead to serious infections. Anyone who finds out he or she has an STD should tell all of his or her sexual contacts so they can be tested and, if infected, treated. Antibiotic treatment cures gonorrhea. See a doctor.
STD 6
A few months ago, during foreplay, my husband noticed a cluster of blisters on the inner lip of my vagina. It turned into a sore that hurt for about a week and then crusted over and went away. Now it's months later, and I have a nasty blister on my butt. My husband doesn't get any blisters on his genitals, although once in a while he gets a cold sore on his mouth. I don't think it's an STD, do you?
Answer:
Herpes is a viral infection. It comes in two types. Herpes type 1 usually causes mouth sores; herpes type 2 usually causes genital sores. However, either virus can infect either place. Herpes can spread during sex, including oral sex. The virus that causes herpes travels up nerves and rests in nerve bundles. When it becomes active, it goes back down the nerves to the skin. The genitals connect to the same nerve bundle as the buttocks. Sometimes a person who has had a genital infection has a later outbreak on the buttocks or thighs.
Herpes outbreaks don't always look like blisters. Sometimes they look like sores, cuts, pimples, or a rash. Genital herpes outbreaks cause pain, aching, itching, burning, and/or tingling on and around the sex organs. Sometimes there can be painful urination and a discharge from the urethra, but this is uncommon.
There's no cure for herpes. But today there are anti-herpes drugs that make outbreaks less severe. They also can prevent new outbreaks and may even make it harder to give herpes to another person.
(To be continued)
Friday, October 16, 2009
Get the STD Picture
By Daniel J. DeNoon
WebMD Feature Reviewed by Louise Chang, MD
Check out the first two words of "sexually transmitted diseases." If you're having sex, you may be at risk.
-----
JACQUES' NOTE:
Upon perusing this (long) article in my WebMD Neswletter, I became increasingly impressed with its high degre of importance in any individual's over-all wellness.
Although this Blog is titled "SuccessGroup7", I feel that Total Health and Peace of Mind definitely include knowledge, awareness and self-control where our sex lives are concernd.
And so, I thank WebMD.com for this incisive contribution to public and individual Health.
Sincerely,
Jacques Girard, Ph.D.
-----
Do you know as much as you think you do about STDs? It's easy to find out. Read through the list of symptoms below, then name that STD.
STD 1
It's been three weeks since I had sex with that guy who didn't have a condom. And now I've got something a lot like the flu. I'm running a fever, and my head hurts. I'm so tired I don't feel like doing much of anything. But the last time I had the flu, I didn't have these mouth sores -- or this red rash on my chest. If it's not the flu, what is it?
Answer:
It might be HIV. No, this isn't AIDS -- not yet, and maybe not ever. These are some common symptoms of acute HIV infection. In 50% to 80% of patients, HIV infection starts with these flu-like symptoms. There's nearly always fatigue, fever, and headache. Mouth sores and a rash on the trunk are a tip-off that this isn't the flu. But not everybody with acute HIV infection gets these symptoms.
If you come down with flu-like symptoms two to four weeks after sex with someone who might have HIV infection, see a doctor right away. A normal HIV test won't work. Standard HIV tests look for antibodies in the blood, and your body hasn't made any yet. But there are tests that can tell whether you're infected. If you do have HIV, you may wish to start treatment right away. Studies suggest that treatment during acute HIV infection may be much more effective than later treatment.
STD 2
On my last night in southeast Asia, my clients threw a party that got pretty wild. I had a lot more to drink than I'd meant to, and ended up sleeping with one of the women who worked in the bar. I didn't use any protection. Dumb. Real dumb. A few days after coming home, I came down with painful little bumps on my penis. Now the bumps have turned into pus-filled open sores with raggedy edges. The sores are soft to the touch. Today there's a pain deep under the skin on the inside of my thigh. I guess I'd better see my doctor. What's she going to say -- and what should I tell my wife?
Answer:
Can you spell chancroid? Chancroid [pronounced SHANG-kroyd] is a bacterial infection. It's spread by contact with the sores. Women may not notice the symptoms until the lymph glands in the thigh -- on one or both sides -- get swollen and painful. If not treated, these glands mat together and form a kind of abscess known as a bubo.
Chancroid is more common in Africa and in Asia. Fortunately, this is a curable infection. See a doctor. And you have to tell your wife. Even if a woman doesn't seem to have symptoms, she may have been infected and should get a checkup.
WebMD Feature Reviewed by Louise Chang, MD
Check out the first two words of "sexually transmitted diseases." If you're having sex, you may be at risk.
-----
JACQUES' NOTE:
Upon perusing this (long) article in my WebMD Neswletter, I became increasingly impressed with its high degre of importance in any individual's over-all wellness.
Although this Blog is titled "SuccessGroup7", I feel that Total Health and Peace of Mind definitely include knowledge, awareness and self-control where our sex lives are concernd.
And so, I thank WebMD.com for this incisive contribution to public and individual Health.
Sincerely,
Jacques Girard, Ph.D.
-----
Do you know as much as you think you do about STDs? It's easy to find out. Read through the list of symptoms below, then name that STD.
STD 1
It's been three weeks since I had sex with that guy who didn't have a condom. And now I've got something a lot like the flu. I'm running a fever, and my head hurts. I'm so tired I don't feel like doing much of anything. But the last time I had the flu, I didn't have these mouth sores -- or this red rash on my chest. If it's not the flu, what is it?
Answer:
It might be HIV. No, this isn't AIDS -- not yet, and maybe not ever. These are some common symptoms of acute HIV infection. In 50% to 80% of patients, HIV infection starts with these flu-like symptoms. There's nearly always fatigue, fever, and headache. Mouth sores and a rash on the trunk are a tip-off that this isn't the flu. But not everybody with acute HIV infection gets these symptoms.
If you come down with flu-like symptoms two to four weeks after sex with someone who might have HIV infection, see a doctor right away. A normal HIV test won't work. Standard HIV tests look for antibodies in the blood, and your body hasn't made any yet. But there are tests that can tell whether you're infected. If you do have HIV, you may wish to start treatment right away. Studies suggest that treatment during acute HIV infection may be much more effective than later treatment.
STD 2
On my last night in southeast Asia, my clients threw a party that got pretty wild. I had a lot more to drink than I'd meant to, and ended up sleeping with one of the women who worked in the bar. I didn't use any protection. Dumb. Real dumb. A few days after coming home, I came down with painful little bumps on my penis. Now the bumps have turned into pus-filled open sores with raggedy edges. The sores are soft to the touch. Today there's a pain deep under the skin on the inside of my thigh. I guess I'd better see my doctor. What's she going to say -- and what should I tell my wife?
Answer:
Can you spell chancroid? Chancroid [pronounced SHANG-kroyd] is a bacterial infection. It's spread by contact with the sores. Women may not notice the symptoms until the lymph glands in the thigh -- on one or both sides -- get swollen and painful. If not treated, these glands mat together and form a kind of abscess known as a bubo.
Chancroid is more common in Africa and in Asia. Fortunately, this is a curable infection. See a doctor. And you have to tell your wife. Even if a woman doesn't seem to have symptoms, she may have been infected and should get a checkup.
Monday, October 12, 2009
WORDS to Live Better By...
(From BRIAN TRACY's newsletters: "Quote of the Day" gems)...
"Success comes to the man who grits his teeth, squares his jaw and says, "There is a way for me and, by jingo, I'll find it."" -- Clifford Sloan, Publisher
"It isn't where you came from; it's where you're going that counts."
-- Ella Fitzgerald, jazz singer
"The mind is its own place, and in itself can make a heav'n of hell and a hell of a heav'n." -- John Milton, poet
"Service to others is the rent you pay for your room here on earth."
-- Muhammad Ali, boxer
"Sometimes we stare so long at a door that is closing that we see too late the one that is open." -- Alexander Graham Bell, Inventor
"Accept the challenges so that you may feel the exhilaration of victory." - George Patton, General
"The most difficult thing is the decision to act; the rest is merely tenacity. The fears are paper tigers. You can do anything you decide to do." - Amelia Earhart, aviator
"Create a definite plan for carrying out your desire and begin at once, whether you are ready or not, to put this plan into action."
-- Napolean Hill, Motivational Writer
"To try and fail is at least to learn. To fail to try is to suffer the loss of what might have been." - Benjamin Franklin, statesman
"If anything terrifies me, I must try to conquer it." - Francis Chichester, adventurer
"I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel."
- Maya Angelou, Poet
"In prosperity our friends know us; in adversity we know our friends."
-- John Churton Collins, critic
"Nothing great has ever been achieved except by those who dared believe that something inside them was superior to circumstances."
-- Bruce Barton, advertising executive
"Happy are those who dream dreams and are ready to pay the price to make them come true." - Leon Suenens, Clergyman
"Freedom lies in being bold." - Robert Frost, poet
"There is only one way to make a great deal of money, and that is in a business of your own." - J. Paul Getty, oil tycoon
-----
...and, on the "lighter side" (from different sources) LOL...
"Sometimes, when I look at my children, I say to myself, 'Lillian, you should have remained a virgin.' - Lillian Carter (mother of Jimmy Carter)
"I had a rose named after me and I was very flattered. But I was not pleased to read the description in the catalogue: - 'No good in a bed, but fine against a wall.' - Eleanor Roosevelt
'Last week, I stated this woman was the ugliest woman I had ever seen. I have since been visited by her sister, and now wish to withdraw that statement' - Mark Twain
"The secret of a good sermon is to have a good beginning and a good ending; and to have the two as close together as possible." - George Burns
"Santa Claus has the right idea. Visit people only once a year. '
- Victor Borge
"Be careful about reading health books. You may die of a misprint."
- Mark Twain
"By all means, marry. If you get a good wife, you'll become happy; if you get a bad one, you'll become a philosopher." - Socrates
|
"I was married by a judge. I should have asked for a jury."
- Groucho Marx
" My wife has a slight impediment in her speech. Every now and then she stops to breathe." - Jimmy Durante
"I have never hated a man enough to give his diamonds back."
- Zsa Zsa Gabor
"Only Irish coffee provides in a single glass all four essential food groups: alcohol, caffeine, sugar and fat." - Alex Levine
"My luck is so bad that if I bought a cemetery, people would stop dying." - Rodney Dangerfield
|
"Money can't buy you happiness ... But it does bring you a more pleasant form of misery." - Spike Milligan
"Until I was thirteen, I thought my name was SHUT UP" . - Joe Namath
"I don't feel old.. I don't feel anything until noon. Then it's time for my nap." - Bob Hope
"I never drink water because of the disgusting things that fish do in it." - W. C. Fields
"We could certainly slow the aging process down if it had to work its way through Congress." - Will Rogers
"Don't worry about avoiding temptation. As you grow older, it will avoid you." - Winston Churchill
"Maybe it's true that life begins at fifty ...But everything else starts to wear out, fall out, or spread out." - Phyllis Diller
"By the time a man is wise enough to watch his step, he's too old to go anywhere." - Billy Crystal
"And the cardiologist's diet: - If it tastes good spit it out." |
-----
(Ain't that just the livin' end?" LOL)
Have a joyous weekend!
Your Friend,
Jacques
"Success comes to the man who grits his teeth, squares his jaw and says, "There is a way for me and, by jingo, I'll find it."" -- Clifford Sloan, Publisher
"It isn't where you came from; it's where you're going that counts."
-- Ella Fitzgerald, jazz singer
"The mind is its own place, and in itself can make a heav'n of hell and a hell of a heav'n." -- John Milton, poet
"Service to others is the rent you pay for your room here on earth."
-- Muhammad Ali, boxer
"Sometimes we stare so long at a door that is closing that we see too late the one that is open." -- Alexander Graham Bell, Inventor
"Accept the challenges so that you may feel the exhilaration of victory." - George Patton, General
"The most difficult thing is the decision to act; the rest is merely tenacity. The fears are paper tigers. You can do anything you decide to do." - Amelia Earhart, aviator
"Create a definite plan for carrying out your desire and begin at once, whether you are ready or not, to put this plan into action."
-- Napolean Hill, Motivational Writer
"To try and fail is at least to learn. To fail to try is to suffer the loss of what might have been." - Benjamin Franklin, statesman
"If anything terrifies me, I must try to conquer it." - Francis Chichester, adventurer
"I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel."
- Maya Angelou, Poet
"In prosperity our friends know us; in adversity we know our friends."
-- John Churton Collins, critic
"Nothing great has ever been achieved except by those who dared believe that something inside them was superior to circumstances."
-- Bruce Barton, advertising executive
"Happy are those who dream dreams and are ready to pay the price to make them come true." - Leon Suenens, Clergyman
"Freedom lies in being bold." - Robert Frost, poet
"There is only one way to make a great deal of money, and that is in a business of your own." - J. Paul Getty, oil tycoon
-----
...and, on the "lighter side" (from different sources) LOL...
"Sometimes, when I look at my children, I say to myself, 'Lillian, you should have remained a virgin.' - Lillian Carter (mother of Jimmy Carter)
"I had a rose named after me and I was very flattered. But I was not pleased to read the description in the catalogue: - 'No good in a bed, but fine against a wall.' - Eleanor Roosevelt
'Last week, I stated this woman was the ugliest woman I had ever seen. I have since been visited by her sister, and now wish to withdraw that statement' - Mark Twain
"The secret of a good sermon is to have a good beginning and a good ending; and to have the two as close together as possible." - George Burns
"Santa Claus has the right idea. Visit people only once a year. '
- Victor Borge
"Be careful about reading health books. You may die of a misprint."
- Mark Twain
"By all means, marry. If you get a good wife, you'll become happy; if you get a bad one, you'll become a philosopher." - Socrates
|
"I was married by a judge. I should have asked for a jury."
- Groucho Marx
" My wife has a slight impediment in her speech. Every now and then she stops to breathe." - Jimmy Durante
"I have never hated a man enough to give his diamonds back."
- Zsa Zsa Gabor
"Only Irish coffee provides in a single glass all four essential food groups: alcohol, caffeine, sugar and fat." - Alex Levine
"My luck is so bad that if I bought a cemetery, people would stop dying." - Rodney Dangerfield
|
"Money can't buy you happiness ... But it does bring you a more pleasant form of misery." - Spike Milligan
"Until I was thirteen, I thought my name was SHUT UP" . - Joe Namath
"I don't feel old.. I don't feel anything until noon. Then it's time for my nap." - Bob Hope
"I never drink water because of the disgusting things that fish do in it." - W. C. Fields
"We could certainly slow the aging process down if it had to work its way through Congress." - Will Rogers
"Don't worry about avoiding temptation. As you grow older, it will avoid you." - Winston Churchill
"Maybe it's true that life begins at fifty ...But everything else starts to wear out, fall out, or spread out." - Phyllis Diller
"By the time a man is wise enough to watch his step, he's too old to go anywhere." - Billy Crystal
"And the cardiologist's diet: - If it tastes good spit it out." |
-----
(Ain't that just the livin' end?" LOL)
Have a joyous weekend!
Your Friend,
Jacques
Thursday, October 1, 2009
Habitual lateness exposed (conclusion)
Keating says she falls into this category. "It's a case of bad planning, of thinking you need less time than you actually do."
The solution, Morgenstern says, is to "become a better time estimator." She suggests keeping track of everything you do for a week or two. "Write down how long you think each thing will take and then how long it actually took." This will help you find a pattern, so you can adjust your time estimates.
Keating says this strategy is helpful. "You have to be realistic about how long certain things take, especially things you do routinely. If you know it takes 20 minutes to blow dry your hair, allow yourself 20 minutes to blow dry your hair," she says, "and leave a little extra time for those days when your hair is uncooperative."
Learning to Say 'No'
Another technical difficulty for some people is the inability to say "no" to additional commitments when they're short on time. You might be a good time estimator, Morgenstern explains, but "your best-laid plans get waylaid when someone asks you for something and you can't say 'no.'"
The solution to this problem is to "practice catchphrases," Morgenstern tells WebMD. Learn to defer or decline requests by saying, "I would love to help, but I'm on a deadline" or "I'm meeting people in half an hour. I can help you tomorrow."
Choosing to Be Late
"If you are literally always 10 minutes late, it's psychological," Morgenstern says. "You're arriving exactly when you want. The question is 'why?'"
Sapadin says the answer depends on your personality type. "For some people, it's a resistance thing," she tells WebMD. "It's a carryover of rebelliousness from childhood. They don't want to do what other people expect them to."
Another category is the "crisis-maker," someone who thrives on the minicrisis of running late. "These are people who cannot get themselves together until they get an adrenaline rush," Sapadin explains. "They need to be under the gun to get themselves moving."
Planning for Wait Time
For most people, running late has more to do with anxiety about where they're going. "There's a fear factor in which people are anxious about going at all or about getting there too early and having nothing to do," Sapadin says.
Morgenstern agrees. "There is a tremendous fear of downtime, an anxiety associated with doing nothing and waiting." You know you're in this category if you'd rather be late to a massage than spend one minute sitting in the waiting room.
To overcome wait time anxiety, Morgenstern suggests planning "something highly absorbing to do while you wait." Try to arrive at every appointment 10 or 15 minutes early and use the time for a specific activity, such as writing notes to people, reading a novel, or catching up with friends on the phone. This strategy can help convert dreaded wait time into time that is productive and pleasurable, giving you an incentive to be on time.
Walking Out the Door
Finally, a deceptively simple tip from Morgenstern: Walk out the door on time. She says many people try to avoid downtime by "shoving in one more thing" just before they need to leave. She calls this the "one-more-task syndrome" and says it's a major obstacle to being on time. "If you really want to beat this, the minute you think of squeezing in one more thing before you leave, just don't do it. Stop yourself in your tracks, grab your bag and walk out the door."
Courtesy: WebMD.com newsletter
The solution, Morgenstern says, is to "become a better time estimator." She suggests keeping track of everything you do for a week or two. "Write down how long you think each thing will take and then how long it actually took." This will help you find a pattern, so you can adjust your time estimates.
Keating says this strategy is helpful. "You have to be realistic about how long certain things take, especially things you do routinely. If you know it takes 20 minutes to blow dry your hair, allow yourself 20 minutes to blow dry your hair," she says, "and leave a little extra time for those days when your hair is uncooperative."
Learning to Say 'No'
Another technical difficulty for some people is the inability to say "no" to additional commitments when they're short on time. You might be a good time estimator, Morgenstern explains, but "your best-laid plans get waylaid when someone asks you for something and you can't say 'no.'"
The solution to this problem is to "practice catchphrases," Morgenstern tells WebMD. Learn to defer or decline requests by saying, "I would love to help, but I'm on a deadline" or "I'm meeting people in half an hour. I can help you tomorrow."
Choosing to Be Late
"If you are literally always 10 minutes late, it's psychological," Morgenstern says. "You're arriving exactly when you want. The question is 'why?'"
Sapadin says the answer depends on your personality type. "For some people, it's a resistance thing," she tells WebMD. "It's a carryover of rebelliousness from childhood. They don't want to do what other people expect them to."
Another category is the "crisis-maker," someone who thrives on the minicrisis of running late. "These are people who cannot get themselves together until they get an adrenaline rush," Sapadin explains. "They need to be under the gun to get themselves moving."
Planning for Wait Time
For most people, running late has more to do with anxiety about where they're going. "There's a fear factor in which people are anxious about going at all or about getting there too early and having nothing to do," Sapadin says.
Morgenstern agrees. "There is a tremendous fear of downtime, an anxiety associated with doing nothing and waiting." You know you're in this category if you'd rather be late to a massage than spend one minute sitting in the waiting room.
To overcome wait time anxiety, Morgenstern suggests planning "something highly absorbing to do while you wait." Try to arrive at every appointment 10 or 15 minutes early and use the time for a specific activity, such as writing notes to people, reading a novel, or catching up with friends on the phone. This strategy can help convert dreaded wait time into time that is productive and pleasurable, giving you an incentive to be on time.
Walking Out the Door
Finally, a deceptively simple tip from Morgenstern: Walk out the door on time. She says many people try to avoid downtime by "shoving in one more thing" just before they need to leave. She calls this the "one-more-task syndrome" and says it's a major obstacle to being on time. "If you really want to beat this, the minute you think of squeezing in one more thing before you leave, just don't do it. Stop yourself in your tracks, grab your bag and walk out the door."
Courtesy: WebMD.com newsletter
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